Combined thumb-rule and blotter.



Patented May I, I900.

PJR. HAZELTINE. COMBINED THUMB RULE AND BLOTTEB.

(Application filed m 26, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL R. HAZELTINE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINED THUMB-RULE AND BLOTTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 648,409, dated May 1, 1900.

Application filed July 26, 1899. Serial No. 725,192. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, PAUL R. HAZELTINE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combined Thumb- Rule and Blotter, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Myinvention relates to an improved thumbrule and blotter, and is intended more especially for ruling short lines without the necessity of picking up and laying down either the rule, the blotter, or the pen, thus creating a great saving in time in addition to other advantages, which are obvious; and myinvention consists in certain features of novelty hereinafter described and claimed.

Figure I is a top view. Fig. II is an end view. Fig. III is a side view. Fig. IV is a transverse section taken on line IV IV, Fig. I.

Fig. V is a perspective view showing position of hand in holding the device.

Referring to the drawings,1 represents a flat plate having straight sides 2 and a tapering tailpiece 3, one side of the tailpiece being preferably curved, as shown at 4,and the other side extending at an angle, as shown at 5.

6 represents a thumb-ring located near the extreme end of the tailpiece 3. The forward end of the plate 1 is bent upwardly and folded back against the body, forminga rule 7.

8 represents a fiat'spring having its outer ends secured at 9 to the under side of the plate 1, said spring being bent downwardly in bow shape, thus forming a surface that will spring or give when pressure is applied thereto.

10 represents a strip of blottingpaper placed under the spring 8, folded over the edges 2 of the plate 1, with the ends of the blotter extending to a point near the center of the plate 1 on its upper side. The ends of to the spring-button 11. It will be seen that by unscrewing the nut 14 until tension is relieved on the button 11 the button may be turned into the position shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, and the strip of blotter released and a new strip placed in position. The rule and blotter is held in the left hand, as shown in Fig. V, leaving the right hand free for using the pen.

The combined blotter and rule is especially for bookkeepers, intended to cover only a small portion of the book at one time, so that the accountant may read the name while blotting the figures or using the rule, and vice versa. Its peculiar contour and construction adapt it for this feature. Again, by reason of the peculiar contour of the tailpiece the ruling edge is always in a horizontal position when the hand is in a natural position on the paper-that is to say, the ruling edge? is at all times when in use parallel with the ruled lines of the ledger or day-book.

In the use of a blotter and rule of this kind it remains attached to the hand while making the many hundred movements of a bookkeeper in a days forming of the rulings, blotting, turning pages, &c., and it has been found by experience that where the ring is attached to the finger the finger will become cramped, which is avoided by the use of the thumb, which is a much stronger member, Also by the peculiar contour of the tailpiece and the attachment to the thumb the fingers are left free to turn the pages of the book without detaching the device from the hand.

Owing to the distance between the thumb and forefinger and the movement of the first joint of the thumb there is room for ample lateral movement of the finger without separating the hand from the device. Where the ring is attached to the fingers, it would be necessary to withdraw the hand from the device in order to use the fingers in turning the leaves. The thumb has a much larger the blotting-paper are secured by means of a bow-shaped spring-button 11, having its ends 12 resting upon the blotter and pressing the same against the plate 1. The button 11 is pivotedio a stud-bolt 13, which is secured at its inner end to the center of-the plate 1 and 1e thereon, by which tension may be applied making a slight changejin the angle of the" Also owing to the thumb being separate from the fingers, there is no chafing between the thumb and fingers, as there is in ruler.

constant use when the ring is placed upon the fingers, the fingers on each side of the" onerwith the ring on chafing against the ring. Also owing to the ring being madeon oneside in position for the thumb instead of in the center, as it would have to be for the fin-l. ger, the ring maybe made an integralpart of the tailpiece, thus enabling themanufacturerto stamp the body of thearticle and'- the portion forming the ring all of one piece of metal.-

I claim as my invention- 1.'A combined rnler'and blotter comprising a main'body, the forward edge of which is bent upward at an angle then down and back upon itself to form a ruler, a tailpiece integral with and extending rearwardly at an angle from the main body, a thumb ring 1 formed at the juncture of the sides integral withthe; tailpiece; and} means for securin g blotting-papefto the main body;

' 2. A combined ruler and blotter comprisingainain body, the forward edge of which isbent upward 'at an angle then down and back upon itself to form a ruler; a tailpiece integral with and extending rearwardly at an angle fromthe main body, oneside of the same being curved while the other is straight andat an angle to the main body, a thumbring formed integral with the'tailpiece at the junction of the curved and straight'inclined sid'es" thereof, a studbolt extending upwardly from the center of the main body, a

secured on said bolt, and a fiat spring secured to the under side'of the main bodyand bow-shaped spring-button and clamping-nut bent downwardly in bowshape' to form a 7 bearing for blotting-paper.

" PAUL R HAZELTINE.

Witnesses:

J. WV. KEMP,

J. E. KNIGHT. 

